BREC sends Edson to Cooperative Youth Summit
By Josh P. Crotzer
Elizabeth Edson stepped out of her comfort zone this summer and had a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
The Broome High School junior was one of 45 South Carolina students who took part in Cooperative Youth Summit, a four-day exploration of the state capital, civic engagement, and the cooperative business model. The Pacolet native was sponsored by Broad River Electric on the trip, which included a visit to a neighboring cooperative, Newberry Electric. There, she gained a new perspective on member-owned utilities, including being lifted 100 feet in the bucket of a boom truck.
“Going up in the bucket truck was one of my favorite parts, even though I’m afraid of heights,” says Edson. “Cooperatives seem like a good career to look into. They have a community built into them, and the jobs seem really interesting.”
Later in the week, the students visited Gov. Henry McMaster’s office and heard from South Carolina legislators Rep. Micah Caskey and Sen. Mike Fanning about their role and responsibilities as future voters and leaders.
They also participated in a team competition in which they developed presentations related to current political and cultural issues, such as banning TikTok and subsidizing electric vehicles (EVs).
“Working with other people and then actually getting to present was really cool, even if it made me a little nervous,” says Edson, whose group advocated for EV subsidies. “I learned a lot about the pros and cons of electric vehicles.”
